Phuket 2009 - 16th Asean Regional Forum

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the official group photograph for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) summit on the resort island of Phuket, in southern Thailand on July 23, 2009 a along with (front row L-R) Foreign Ministers Australian Stephen Smith, Thailand's Kasit Piromya, Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Timor Leste Foreign Minister Zacarias Albano de Costa, Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Singapore George Yeo, and (Back row L-R) Laos Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysia Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win, New Zealand's Murray McCulley, Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo, South Korea Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan andew Guinea's Samuel Abal. (Getty Images)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (2nd L), ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan (2nd R), East Timor's Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres (L) and Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya toast during their lunch at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meeting in Phuket July 23, 2009.

(REUTERS/Thai Foreign Ministry/Handout)
Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and his Thail counterpart Kasit Piromya present an agreement book to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meeting in Phuket July 23, 2009. (REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang)

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Thailand Culture - H.E. Kasit Piromya presents "Knight Grand Cross" to Seefah Collingwood-Price Perth WA

Sawasdee

H.E. Kasit Piromya Foreign Minister to Thailand had extensive duties during his visit to Perth, namely Joint Commission talks with Australia's Foreign Minster The Hon Stephen Smith MP...

However high on the agenda was recognition the "amazing" achievements of one the the Kingdom's faithful, Khun Seefah Collingwood-Price.

Royal Honour Ceremony
By the gracious decree of HM King Bhumipol, Khun Seefa was bestowed with the honour of "Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the most Admirable order of the Direkgunabhorn".


The award was presented by HE Mr Kasit Piromya Minister of Foreign Affairs, and HE Mr Bandhit Sotipalalit Ambassador, Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra at The Dusit Thai Restaurant 249 James St, Northbridge, Perth.

Dignitaries noted:

H.E. Mr Kasit Piromya Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Mrs Chintana Piromya Spouse of Minister
Ms Prae Piromya Daughter of Minister H.E.
Mr Bandhit Sotipalalit Thailand Ambassador to Australia
H.E. Mr Oum Maolanon Thailand Ambassador to New Zealand
Mr Kiattikhun Chartprasent Consul General of Thailand in Australia
Mrs Nongnuth Phetcharatana Director General Department of American and South Pacific Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Brigadier William D Jamieson Royal Thai Consul-General in Perth and Patron TAAWA
William Jamieson Royal Thai Consul in Perth
John Hyde MLA Perth WA and Patron of TAAWA
TAAWA Committee and members
Khun Chetseni Dhanarajata General Manager Thai Airways, West Australia and Patron TAAWA

Guests included Family, Friends, Delegates of Community groups and Local Business Identities.

Picture Khun Greg and wife Khun Aud
Photos of the evening kindly donated and display in the TAAWA events photo album titled 2009-05-08 TAAWA Diner with H.E. Kasit Piromya

NB: tips on watching video on the net tips on view Photos in Picasa

A little about The Lady they call Khun Paa (Kinship)
Kn Seefah ventured to our shores 1986 and in 1991 we started her involvement with TAAWA and from that has been continuously involved in the work of the Association (TAAWA). Over the years she has undertaken every position on the Committee from member to President and has on occasions been a special advisor. During her service she has welcomed many dignitaries from Thailand from Ministers to members of the Royal family.

Picture right Khun Angella with
Mr Bandhit Sotipalalit Thailand Ambassador to Australia

• We took the liberty of creating a collage of photos (at random) of her many years of service to the Kingdom of Thailand, conducting goodwill services for the Thai Community.



• The photos are scanned copies so the quality is low, but I'm sure you get the general idea. The photo Album - Seefah Historical Pics
  

Kn Seefah speech acknowledged our Countries and efforts of all friends and supporters, we will publish the notes for our readers. link to her speech

Kn Kasit speech was, as always dynamic and embracing of the Communities. He touched on the recent political situation and matters have now returned to normal and called on the values of kinship and reaffirmed the priority for the Royal Thai Government under Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was to restore social harmony and to move the country forward with good governance, transparency, and accountability.

HE Kasit arrived this evening after a successful Business forum hosted by CCI and local Perth business

Our friendship; Thailand and Australia is underpinned by growing people-to-people links with over 22,000 Thai students now enrolled to study in Australia and some 700,000 Australians visiting Thailand last year.

Picture left Khun Kasit and Phill Smith (AusWaThai)

We recognise the difficult tasks before committee (any and every committee) that strives to deliver to and for their members. The committee of TAAWA, and TRWA (Thai Radio WA) and all other Thai Groups outshine expectations and serve excellence for Bilateral relations between Thailand and Australia.

We are pleased to create a "profile" for kn Seefah on the TAAWA website and look forward to developing profiles for committee members.

We care about W.A.T. WA Thai Community so if you have news the supports building goodwill for Community, Culture and Travel between Western Australia and Thailand please let us know so we can populate to the world!! Jing Jing !

Our Cultural project to host Thai holiday helpers, au-pairs and the like to share culture has exceeded expectations, we are so delighted, people are remembering what it's like to smile again..... (smiling is the sensation of feeling great all over but showing it in 1 place), Thanks Kon Thai and The land of Smiles

Heart Culture

To understand Thai is to understand Buddhism

Chockdee krup

Thai Consul views on Bilateral Joint Commission meeting 08/05/2009

13th May 2009

Mr P R Smith
Auswathai


Dear Sir

Thank you for your e-mail of the 9th May 2009.
I commend you for your endeavours in promoting the business and community relationships between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Commonwealth of Australia.

As requested I have prepared and attach remarks relating to the recent visit to Australia by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr Kasit Piromya.

Yours faithfully

Mr W J D Jamieson
B.Juris.LL.B.
Honorary Consul

Picture William Jamieson with TAAWA President Khun See-fah

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CONSULS COMMENTS ON THE VISIT BY HE KASIT PIROMYA

His Excellency Mr Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and his delegation traveled to Perth and attended the Joint Commission on Bilateral Co-operation between Thailand and Australia on the 8th May 2009.

This was the eleventh such Joint Commission and first hosted in Perth, Western Australia.
From Thailand’s perspective the key issues discussed were:

• Thailand’s interest in purchasing liquefied natural gas.
  



• Consideration being given by Australia to lowering the minimum score in the IELTS Test requirements for Thai workers in Australia.




• Thailand’s proposal to establish a National Institute for Human Resource Development in Tourism with the assistance of Australian experts.




• Ongoing co-operation concerning National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and the International Centre for Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education.




• To seek greater Australian co-operation in trilateral co-operation projects in the PIF, GMS and ACMECS countries with Thailand.
  
  

The delegation included staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the most senior of which was Mrs Nongnuth Phetcharatana, Director-General, Department of American and South Pacific Affairs.

H.E. Bandhit Sotipalit, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, H.E. The Ambassador of Thailand to New Zealand and the Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate-General of Sydney, with staff, also attended.

H.E. Kasit Piromya has a distinguished career of 37 years of service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, culminating in appointment as Ambassador respectively to Moscow, Jakarta, Bonn/Berlin, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

H.E. Kasit Piromya also addressed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, Thai students studying in Perth and was the guest of honour at a dinner function hosted by the Thai-Australia Association of Western Australia. H.E. spoke candidly and with conviction about the relationship between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Commonwealth of Australia, his optimism for the future of democracy within Thailand and encouraged those Thais whom had settled in Australia to participate in their communities.

News on The Royal Thai Consul

Their website is in it's final stages expect to see it up and runing within 2 months, in the meantime a variety of Local Thai Community help groups at listed in W.A.T. and particular attention to "Thai in Perth" as it is written in Thai Language.

Comments on Business Luncheon at CCIWA Perth with H.E. Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Kasit Piromya

CCIWA Special Luncheon in Honour of the Foreign Minister of Thailand–H.E Mr Kasit Piromya
7th May 2009

Pictured from left to right
Dr Alan Eggleston Senator for Western Australia
H.E. Mr Kasit Piromya Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
James Pearson Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA)

Speaking Notes / James Pearson Chief Executive Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA)

Warm welcome extended to the Foreign Minister, his family and the Thai delegation.

Dignitaries noted:
H.E. Mr Kasit Piromya Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Mrs Chintana Piromya Spouse of Minister
Ms Prae Piromya Daughter of Minister
H.E. Mr Bandhit Sotipalalit Thailand Ambassador to Australia
H.E. Mr Oum Maolanon Thailand Ambassador to New Zealand
Mr Kiattikhun Chartprasent Consul General of Thailand in Australia
Mrs Nongnuth Phetcharatana Director General Department of American and South Pacific AffairsMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Brigadier William D Jamieson Royal Thai Consul-General in Perth
William Jamieson Royal Thai Consul in Perth
Dr Alan Eggleston Senator for Western Australia

• Thanked the Minister for giving of his valuable time to visit the Chamber and to address WA business members at the lunch organised in his honour.
  
  Noted long trade history between Western Australia and Thailand
  
  The Thailand Australia Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2005
  Total Trade between Thailand and Australia 2007/08 $13,447 million
  Thailand is Australia’s 7th largest export destination
  Australia is Thailand’s 12 largest export destination
  Australia's main exports to Thailand are - petroleum, aluminium, gold, copper
  Thailand’s main exports to Australia are - goods vehicles, passenger vehicles, gold, heating and cooling equipment
  
  Australia's trade in services with Thailand in 2007/08
  Exports to Thailand $888 million
  Imports from Thailand $1,841 million
  
  CCIWA has 128 WA companies registered for the special Thailand Australia FTA Certificates of Origin
  
  Over 450 different products now being exported to Thailand from Western Australia under the FTA agreement.
  
  This is evidence of the benefit of bi-lateral trade agreements.

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H.E. Kasit Piromya

Delivered a calming, positive and comprehensively speech on Business, Social, Economic and Political issues. He enthusiastically invited questions from guests and gave a frank and transparent answers.

The event was well supported by local business Community. The general comments by guests were feeling very confident about the political changes and the positive direction for Thailand and the Kingdom's desire to embrace Business and Community relations with Western Australia.

Dr Alan Eggleston Senator for Western Australia views mirrored those of the guests and looked forward to the advancing those talks with Khun Kasit during the JOINT COMMISSION ON BILATERAL COOPERATION scheduled on 08/02/2009.

Dr Eggleston also acknowledged the catalyst for change is action and a excellent example is the exceptional achievement in the local Community by Federal Minister for Swan Steve Irons.

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Pictured below Kn Kasit and James with "cheers" (chockdee) to a successful event for Thailand and West Australia.

Khun Kasit will continue on his roadshow to visit, Thai students studying in Perth and will be a guest of honour at a dinner function hosted by the Thai-Australia Association of Western Australia followed by meetings with Ministers from Australia relating to THAILAND JOINT COMMISSION ON BILATERAL COOPERATION




AusWaThai, in it's objective to promote bilateral relations Thailand and specifically West Australia offers website services http://www.auswathai.com/ to cover topics supporting Business Community, Culture and Travel.

Our business website is, for the moment limited, as our focus has been Community, Culture and Travel Thailand however we do offer a draft help list of network sites in our Business website.

We are now turning our focus to develop website for Thais Travelling to WA

It's invaluable to remember Austrade is an exceptional government support agency with grant facilities to provide financial support to export.


Thank you CCI WA for their pro active particiapation toward Business Australia Thailand.

Thailand Foreign Minister visits Perth in May 2009 - Corporate Business Opportunity

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